Greek car drivers queue with their car number plates at tax offices around the country. When they hand over the plates to authorities, they will
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Greek car drivers queue with their car number plates at tax offices around the country.
When they hand over the plates to authorities, they will avoid paying road taxes.
That has translated to about 700 million euros in lost revenue for the Greek government over the last six years.
But without plates, cars must be immobilised.
“Of course I will be left without a car. But if you can`t pay the fees, what can you do?,” asks one woman.
One man in the queue explains why he is handing in his plates: “Car maintenance, road taxes, all the expenses of the car…”
When asked by a reporter, “Do you intend to pick the car plates back at some point?,” he replies that “if circumstances allow, why not?”
The latest bailout agreement requires Greece to collect 150 million euros from the tax. It affects all vehicles with engines over 2.5 litres.
Owners of diesel engines benefit from lower taxes.